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Anyone like to guess what did this?

herbaceousherbaceous Posts: 2,318
in Wildlife gardening
Went out this morning to top up bird feeders only to find one of them pretty much destroyed.


The squirrel is annoying and persistent but I can't believe this was him, could it be a mouse maybe?

Or several mice? Whatever, it's chewed the perch off as well as a big hole in the tube.
Any offers on the rodent responsible?  Please tell me it's not The Big One!
"The trouble with having an open mind, of course, is that people will insist on coming along and trying to put things in it."  Sir Terry Pratchett
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  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I doubt it's mice - mine just eat the food and go back home.
    Squirrels are very destructive though, and can destroy feeders easily, so if they can get in, it could be one of them.
    Is there any 'obvious' evidence that it could be a rat? The mice leave droppings on mine all the time, so I'd expect a rat would also do that.  :/
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • herbaceousherbaceous Posts: 2,318
    No obvious sign of droppings Fairygirl but it would be difficult to see them as they would probably have dropped to the ground. The feeder was on a double wrought iron stand near the shrubs but I'm not sure if it would be accessible from them.

    Thinking whatever it was must have climbed the pole. Off to check under the undergrowth now - with a torch! Back soon.....
    "The trouble with having an open mind, of course, is that people will insist on coming along and trying to put things in it."  Sir Terry Pratchett
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Squirrels is my bet ... they did that to the feeders where I used to work. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,385
    I second squirrels and have had exactly the same sort of damage.  Feeders with metal feed holes help - I have 3 of these:
    The squirrels still feed but can't bite through the edges of the feed holes, which is where my plastic ones were damaged.

    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • stewyfizzstewyfizz Posts: 161
    I would guess a squirrel. They are persistent and determined so-and-so's. The one who visits us has taken to hanging upside down by his tail from a thin branch to get at the goodies in a coconut half. Gotta hand it to em.
    Gardening. The cause of, and solution to, all of my problems.
  • herbaceousherbaceous Posts: 2,318
    I am relieved to hear some votes for squirrels although it makes me wonder why I got 'squirrel proof' feeders!  Can't see any obvious signs of poo but there is a lot of leaf litter and sunflower seed husks so I may have missed very small stuff.

    That looks a good sturdy feeder BobTheGardener, I have a couple of Nuttery ones but use these cheaper ones while the big boys are being cleaned. Might have to invest in some more sturdy stand ins!

    How do they get their faces through the bars? I can imagine them grabbing a few seeds but to chew you need to be close up. I'm perplexed.

    I know he's tried in the past as I have seen him, and the parakeets, and the jackdaw and magpies, crows - but never seen them succeed.
    "The trouble with having an open mind, of course, is that people will insist on coming along and trying to put things in it."  Sir Terry Pratchett
  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,385
    I just discovered I bought those 3 in Dec. 2014, so they've survived about five years so far. :)  Easy to take apart and clean, too. 👍
    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • herbaceousherbaceous Posts: 2,318
    I like easy to clean BobTheGardener! Maybe just found my replacements, thank you.

    Think I might go and disturb the 'shrubbery' tomorrow just in case a Ratty thinks he's welcome!
    "The trouble with having an open mind, of course, is that people will insist on coming along and trying to put things in it."  Sir Terry Pratchett
  • hogweedhogweed Posts: 4,053
    Or crows. I have found them very destructive.
    'Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement' - Helen Keller
  • herbaceousherbaceous Posts: 2,318
    Indeed Hogweed, although this damage looks more chewed which is why I suspected a rodent of some description.
    "The trouble with having an open mind, of course, is that people will insist on coming along and trying to put things in it."  Sir Terry Pratchett
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